Former wrestling star Dave Bautista, who plays Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, was particularly vocal in the days following the announcement of James Gunn’s dismissal from the Guardians franchise. He was outspoken in his support of the outgoing director, posting on social media that the franchise without Gunn is “not what I signed up for”. Gunn was ousted after some questionable old tweets of his came to light. With Gunn the architect of the successful Marvel film series, FANDOM asked Bautista what qualities the replacement director will need to bring to Guardians 3.

“Woah, that’s just a tough question. It’s a very touchy question. Right now, I just can’t imagine who the next director would be,” he said. “I think people would be upset if it was a different type of Guardians. I think all the characters need to remain true to who they are and who the fans have fallen in love with after three films – and, by then, four films – because the next Avengers will have come out. So the characters are developed, and I think for anybody to come in and try to change who those characters were, or try to change the tone of the film, would be just sacrilegious.

A Sense of Loyalty

Bautista (pictured in new film Final Score) is gunning for a director who remains loyal to the original vision.

“I think the biggest quality that that director would have to have right now is a sense of loyalty to the characters that James Gunn created, and I don’t know who that director would be. It’s a hard place to step into as well because it’s a bit jaded now, and every director wants to come in feeling like they own the project and [that] it’s their project. And that will never be the case with Guardians because they’re too established.”

Interesting comments in the light of speculation about who the new Guardians 3 director will be. Thor: Ragnarok helmer Taika Waititi, Infinity War duo Anthony and Joe Russo and Happy Hogan himself, Iron Man director Jon Favreau are all frontrunners to take on the anticipated threequel.

Bautista’s new action thriller Final Score is released in the UK on September 7 and the US on September 14.